Before you buy travel insurance

On this page:

  1. Where are you going?
  2. How long are you going for?
  3. What are you going to do at your destination?
  4. Are you taking any valuable items?
  5. Do you have any medical conditions?

1. Where are you going?

Travel insurance prices and coverage depend on where you travel. Some policies cover only certain countries or regions, while others are worldwide. Insurers may see some destinations or regions as riskier than others.

Not all policies cover pandemics like COVID-19 or SARS, or travel changes caused by riots or civil unrest.

Check your destination on the Smartraveller website. Make sure you're aware of any risks and safety advice.

DFAT's Smartraveller website assigns each destination an official advice level of 1, 2, 3 or 4. For each level, DFAT provides advice to help Australians avoid or reduce the risks to their safety. A higher travel advice level means higher risk.

The levels are:

It's important to read and understand the advice level for each country you're travelling to or through. Why? The advice level can affect your safety and your travel insurance.

Based on the Insurance Council of Australia 2025 survey, travellers weren't always put off by travel advisories, with many unaware that they may be left uninsured if they do choose to travel.

"Almost half (47%) of all travellers reported they were not aware that travel insurance policies likely wouldn't cover their travel to a destination with a level 4 travel advisory in place. This was even higher among travellers aged 18-30 (58% not aware), who were more likely to still travel to such destinations"

ICA & DFAT Travel Insurance Survey 2025

Tip!

  • Buy a policy that covers you for every country you're travelling to or transiting through. If you're going to Europe via a one-night stopover in the US, then check you're covered for the US and Europe.
  • Most single-trip policies will cover you for 24 to 72 hours for a stopover in a country different to the region you selected when buying the policy.
  • Check the details of the insurance policy you're planning to buy, to understand how long you have.

You might need different insurance cover for different regions. If you're unsure, ask your insurer.

Insurers sometimes apply policies to regions rather than having a policy for each destination. The following is a list of regions and examples of destinations that may fall under these:

  1. Asia Pacific: Destinations such as New Zealand, Bali, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
  2. Asia: Destinations such as India, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.
  3. Europe: Destinations such as the United Kingdom, Ireland and Western Europe.
  4. Worldwide: All the regions listed from items 1 to 3, as well as regions such as North America, South America, Japan and Africa.

Regions differ for each insurer. For example, several insurers cover travel to Bali under their Asia Pacific policy, while some will only cover travel to Bali under their Asian region policy.

2. How long are you going for?

Just a quick trip? Buy a standalone travel insurance policy for a set number of days.

Travel often? Consider an annual multi-trip policy or a credit card with complimentary travel insurance, but make sure it gives you the cover you need.

Tip! Annual multi-trip policies and credit card policies can restrict the length of each trip you take – anywhere from 15 to 365 days, depending on your policy. Some allow you to pay for extra days.

3. What are you going to do at your destination?

Cruising the open road on a scooter? Carving up the ski slopes? These things aren't necessarily included in a travel insurance policy. It's surprising, yes! But now you know. Different adventures, itinerary and travel styles affect your travel insurance. The more extreme your adventures, the more extreme travel insurance you'll likely need!

Look through the insurer's list of included activities. Check what activities you might have to pay to get extra coverage for.

If you're planning to drink alcohol and operate a vehicle, check your travel insurance policy about alcohol limits. Why? If you're intoxicated and you cause or are involved in an accident, your insurance policy might not cover you.

It's no different from how drinking affects your blood alcohol concentration levels in Australia, and its legal impacts if you're involved in an accident. If you're overseas, similar rules apply.

4. Are you taking any valuable items?

Do you need cover for an expensive digital camera, tablet or laptop? Cover limits for such valuables can vary from a few hundred dollars to thousands. The higher cover will often mean a higher insurance premium.

Tip! Consider adding insurance cover for portable valuables to your home insurance policy instead. Remember to check on the insurance excess and if the policy will cover you worldwide and not just in Australia.

Insurance policies also vary when it comes to how they cover valuable items.

  • Valuables in your check-in luggage often aren't covered.
  • Cover for baggage stored in your hire car is inconsistent.
  • Baggage left unattended is never covered. This can include a bag stolen from the seat beside you in a restaurant.

It can get a little confusing! But now you know what to check in your insurance policy.

Tip! Just like if you're in Australia and paying for your home insurance goods, make sure you have receipts for your valuables kept in a safe place. Travel insurance won't pay if you can't prove you own them.

5. Do you have any medical conditions?

If you have a medical condition that existed before you bought your policy, it may not be covered. This can range from something as common as allergies or asthma through to diabetes, heart conditions or knee replacements.

If you're unsure, contact the insurer to ask whether they'll cover your condition automatically or whether they require you to do a medical assessment.

Tip! Pre-existing conditions can be a condition you've forgotten because it happened years ago. It's essential to read the PDS for anyone with any kind of medical condition. Declare your medical condition no matter how mild.

Case studies

Sarah has well-managed type 2 diabetes. Before purchasing travel insurance, Sarah confirmed with her insurer that they would cover her condition.

While travelling through Vietnam, Sarah experienced gastrointestinal illness due to unfamiliar food. This illness caused her blood sugar levels to become unstable, triggering complications related to her diabetes. She was admitted to hospital for monitoring and treatment for three days.

Sarah's insurance policy covered $7300 in hospital and medical costs, and additional accommodation and booking change costs for the portion of her trip she missed while hospitalised.

The Massoud family was holidaying in Singapore when 13-year-old Nazreen had a recurrence of severe bronchitis, which had affected her in Australia before their trip.

The family's travel insurer wasn't liable to pay any hospital bills as Nazreen's bronchitis was a preexisting medical condition.

The Massoud family had to borrow $17,000 from their friends to cover Nazreen's hospital expenses, additional accommodation and the cost of changing flights.

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